A comprehensive corporate governance policy and voting guidelines are the foundation for informed shareholder stewardship. Manifest ensures that investors have complete control over their voting decisions with powerful and robust tools for stewardship policy management.

Custom Voting Policies for Informed Stewardship

No two investors are exactly alike, they need informed support for their integrated ESG thesis, not one size fits all box ticking. That’s why Manifest pioneered the development of the “Voting Template“.

The Manifest Voting Template is a powerful, intelligent software tool which ensure that each portfolio company is analysed consistently across a comprehensive range of good governance and sustainability practices.

As part of Manifest’s commitment to smarter stewardship, the voting template architecture has been specifically designed to allow investors to chose how policy flags applied. In addition to generating vote indicators, the voting template forms the basis of our Sustainable Governance Rating and reporting suites.

Global good practice, local market perspective

The Manifest policy engine is based on current academic research, national laws, government regulations and investor ESG practices. Each policy indicator is underpinned with thorough, consistent and accurate company analysis. The growth of “comply or explain” reporting means that corporate disclosures are much more nuanced than before. This is why Manifest takes account of individual explanations. Our company data is sourced from primary sources using public disclosures and subject to rigorous quality control.

All of which adds up to a fully defensible, thoughtful approach to voting your shares and ESG engagement.

Global Good Governance Vote Guidance

Manifest understands global company laws, listing rules and regulations. Voting guidelines are based on national codes and guidelines, such as, for example the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association in the UK, or supra-national bodies such as the OECD. Manifest therefore allows investors to develop a voting policy which brings together the best of national frameworks and global best practice with no extra effort or cost.

Powerful Technology, Deep Data

Managing governance data isn’t easy – unlike markets data there are no standards and there is a need to organise subjective data into logical structures. So, rather than outsourcing voting decisions, Manifest’s clients outsource the heavy lifting of governance data analysis and vote administration. The power and flexibility of Manifest’s technology, combined with intelligent insight gives clients consistent and thoughtful voting guidance. The policy data points can also be used to screen portfolios or create custom benchmarks to aid the ESG integration process.